Belmont Village Quarterly Newsletter
on Senior Living

Older Americans:

Living Longer, Living Better

May is Older Americans Month.  This special period of recognition was originally designated “Senior Citizen’s Month” in 1963 by John F. Kennedy and has been proclaimed by presidents every year since.  The name changed in 1980 with Jimmy Carter’s designation, but the tradition of honoring the contributions of our older citizens has remained the same.  During the month of May, the entire nation is asked to pay tribute in some way to the older persons in their communities.

When this designation began in 1963, only 17 million living Americans had reached their 65th birthdays. As of July 1, 2004, 36.3 million Americans were over the age of 65, accounting for 12% of the population.  By the year 2050, the population of people 65 and over is projected to be 86.7 million, comprising 21% of the total population. Never before has our oldest generation had more impact on our society than today. From their rich contributions to their growing care needs, no stratum of our society is untouched by this burgeoning segment of our population.

With the care of our aging grandparents, parents and loved ones in mind, the U.S. Administration on Aging (AoA) has chosen Older Americans: Making Choices for a Healthier Future as the theme for Older Americans Month 2007.  The theme is intended to encourage us to revise the way we think about health and long term care so that we may adequately plan for and address the needs of current and future generations.

According to the AoA, older persons are entitled to live lives of dignity and independence through:

• Streamlined access to information and services, including information that will enable people to plan ahead for long term care

• Information about cost-effective prevention practices and activities that will improve health and quality of life and reduce risk of disease, disability and injury, and,

• Innovative, affordable and flexible options of care and support that will provide an array of choices about how and where to live.

At Belmont Village, we embrace these tenets.  Residents are provided with healthy lifestyle choices through our industry-leading dining and exercise programs and centers.  Information about important services and programs is provided through seminars and meetings at our communities.

Belmont Village residents are encouraged to engage socially and civically with one another and the larger community to stay connected and involved.  Residents share their knowledge with the community through a variety of service projects and volunteer opportunities.  During Older Americans Month, we salute those efforts.  Our residents touch us every day with their wisdom, experience, and humor.  We want to say a heartfelt thank you to all for the many ways in which you enrich our communities and our lives. 

For more information about Belmont Village, please visit our website at www.belmontvillage.com.